During an electrostatic paint finishing process, a grounded path must be maintained between an article to be painted and the structure supporting the article to be painted. The grounded path is provided for safety purposes, and to ensure the efficient application of the paint. Unless a grounded connection is maintained during the paint finishing process, static charge can build up on the article and arc to a nearby object. Such arcing can create the possibility of an explosion or fire. Accordingly, maintaining the article with a proper ground connection is important in order to reduce the possibility of static charge arcing to other objects.
During the paint finishing process, dirt, chemicals and paint overspray tend to build up on the support structure and increase the electrical resistance between the article and the support structure. The movable parts of the support structure are the most susceptible to this accumulation, and consequently, tend toward increased electrical resistance and a decrease in the efficiency of the paint application process. Conventional cleaning of the support structure using solvents and thinners has not been found to maintain a proper ground between the article and the support structure. Additionally, such conventional cleaning may not sufficiently clean the parts, and can also be inconvenient, costly and time consuming.
In the past, various devices have been used to maintain a conductive path between the article and support structure during the paint finishing process. In these devices, a conventional clevis pin is suspended from a hanger. The knife action between the sharp edge of the swinging clevis pin and the hanger cuts through accumulated paint to maintain an electrical path with the article to be painted. Such prior art devices, however, do not always maintain a conductive path between the article and pin, the pin and hanger, and the hanger and the remainder of the support structure, particularly between those parts which are movable with respect to one another. Further, due to the accumulation of dirt, chemicals and paint overspray, such prior art devices may not maintain a low electrical resistance, preferably a resistance of less than approximately 1 Ohm.